My old dog drags his leg and falls. What are non-surgical options?

This presentation could be due to a neurological lesion affecting nerves innervating the legs (please tell us which leg you think is affected to have more specific answers). I would recommend a neurological examination and eventually further investigations (EMG and MRI/CT might be needed). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Toby is a senior citizen now. It looks like he’s lost a lot of muscle in the rear legs. I expect he may have hip or back arthritic contributing to his symptoms. I recommend a second opinion with a Rehabilitation veterinarian if there is one near you. In addition I would purchase a Help em Up harness so you can assist him to stand and walk. The longer he’s down and not using his legs the less ability he will have to walk again. I would get him standing for a few minutes several times a day and help him to go outside to potty. Hopefully then he will regain some strength and be able to walk again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Toby.

Where surgical treatment is not an option then the alternative options are: pain relief medications; joint care diets (hills); strict weight management; physiotherapy; acupuncture; chiropractic care and possibly steroid injections. It is important to assess her quality of life and comfort levels to ensure she is not suffering undue pain

You can talk to your vet about therapy laser treatments if it is available in your area as these can help with pain and inflammation. You can also see about starting Adequan injections to help with the joints or further pain medication such as gabapentin or Tylenol 3 or 4 in extreme cases.

The symptom you report could have a few origins; the nervous system, bone, muscle, blood vessels, or the soft tissues. If he is limping (toe touching or hopping) this could be a knee related issue (cruciate injury) which is a common problem. If he is dragging the limb and not placing his foot over correctly (dragging the top of his foot and not flipping it to put the pads down) this may be a neurologic issue. There are a few disease processes that can cause neurologic impairment so a neurologic exam by your vet would help to localize if this is the issue. If there is no trauma a vascular event (clot) is also possible as well. Is the foot warm? It is good that Lakota does not seem painful although sometimes not using the leg is their symptom of pain, any swelling anywhere on the leg? I think what is best is an exam with a veterinarian to localize which organ system is causing the issue, orthopedic (bone, soft tissues) vs neurologic, and help ease your mind about what is causing this. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Toby may need x-rays to diagnose what is going on with his foot. That is a very odd lump. If he had fractures to the small bones in this region, then they may have healed improperly and caused the lump you see. It is also possible that there is on-going inflammation in that area that could benefit from medications. There is also a small possibility of a tumor in that area. Your vet should be able to figure out what is going on. If it is not cancerous, there are several treatments you could try before going to surgery, including anti-inflammatory medications, glucosamine supplements, Adequan injections, acupuncture, or physical therapy. But first, we need to figure out what is the exact process of the injury so that the appropriate treatment can be started.

I think it would be worth a surgical consult if you're able. That doesn't mean you have to do the surgery but can help you make an informed decision. They may also have a physical therapy option that could be helpful with or without surgery.